South Jersey Sports Injury Lawyer
Participating in sports almost always involves signing liability waivers and consent forms to participate. When injuries do occur, the organization in charge of the sport is quick to hide behind the forms and disclaim any liability. But there is a difference between acknowledging the risks associated with playing a given sport and being injured because of negligence or intentional harm. Call me, Joseph Monaco, if you or your child suffered a sports-related injury that shouldn’t have happened. I’ll take the time to listen, investigate, and let you know whether I think you have a valid legal claim against the sports organizers or some other entity or party. And if you do, I’ll put my decades of South Jersey sports injury legal experience to work in getting you a significant amount of compensation to deal with the medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages this injury has inflicted on you because of another’s negligence.
All Sports Carry Risks of Injury
Injuries are not uncommon in full-contact sports like football, hockey and rugby, but you’ll also see them quite often in basketball, baseball and soccer where contact is still frequent. And even in non-contact sports with no physical player interaction, such as track and field events, athletes can still suffer serious and debilitating or even fatal injuries. Participants can experience any of the following types of injuries, for example:
- Broken bones
- Head and brain injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Torn muscles, tendons and ligaments
- Shoulder and knee injuries
- Sprains and strains
- Avulsion injuries
- Joint injuries
Coaching and School Liability for Sports-Related Injuries
Coaches should be trained to enforce safety standards, good sportsmanship and good conduct in practice and competition, and they should know when to recognize injuries and how to deal properly with them. Schools or sports leagues that employ coaches can be liable for the negligence or misconduct of their employees. Some of the mistakes coaches can make that needlessly cause or worsen a sports injury include:
- Playing an injured player
- Failing to respond to a player’s potential injury
- Over practicing, causing exhaustion or heatstroke, which can be fatal
- Encouraging unsportsmanlike conduct on the field
- Physical, verbal, emotional or psychological abuse of players
Schools and athletic organizations also have a duty to maintain playing fields in a reasonably safe condition, including identifying and removing hazards, and keeping players off the field until a dangerous condition is repaired. As an experienced premises liability attorney, I have spent decades helping injury victims hold property owners liable for unsafe premises in their care.
Sports injuries can also be attributable to defective sports equipment. These defects may be from the original design or manufacture of the equipment, in which case you have a product liability claim against the manufacturer. It is also possible the equipment was sound when purchased but has become old, worn-out or broken through use and should no longer be used. In that case, the school or organization providing the equipment could be liable for the injury. I can help sort out the often complicated question of which party is responsible for an injury or whether multiple parties are. Holding the right parties and all parties accountable is key to a successful sports-related injury claim.
Athletic Organizers Are Responsible for Conducting Sports Safely
- School Sports
- League Sports
- Day Camps
- Gym Class
- Summer Camps
- Sports Camps
Individual players can also be responsible for causing injuries to other players if they engage in unsportsmanlike conduct or play too rough either intentionally or recklessly without due regard to the safety of others. Individuals could be held accountable whether they are part of an organized sporting event or if you get injured in a pick-up game at the local park. Call me for a free consultation to discuss what happened and determine if you have a claim and who should be held responsible for your sports-related injury.
NJ Sports Injury Lawyer Serving Atlantic City, Marlton, Cherry Hill, Vineland, Bridgeton, Millville, Camden, Trenton
If you or your loved one suffered a sports-related injury, call or text me, Joseph Monaco, at 609-277-3166 for a free consultation. I practice personal injury and premises liability law throughout several New Jersey counties, including Burlington, Atlantic, Cumberland and Camden, as well as Philadelphia. I guarantee that if I don’t recover for you, then you won’t owe me any fee.
